Tag: IPhone

Time is starting to slip away on our raffle this month for the $50.00 gift certificate to our store. As of today, we have only two people that have signed up for this wonderful prize. Don’t miss out on this fantastic chance at some great merchandise. Remember the tickets are only $5.00. Hmm, $5.00 for $50.00 worth of merchandise, sounds like a deal to me.

Anyway, I thought I would just let you know. Have a super fantastic Monday and we will see you tomorrow.

Nightmares of the Zodiac

What’s your Sun sign’s deepest fear?

It’s that time of year again, when Americans like to scare themselves with ghosts, goblins and the rest of Halloween’s spooky tomfoolery. You might call it our annual fear fest, but are these truly our worst fears? Of course not. To find qualms that really make our skin crawl, we need to dig a little deeper.

Take a look at these zodiac sign nightmares and see if they don’t send a shiver up your spine.

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

You are at the end of a long line hiking up a tall mountain. The group’s leaders are Virgos, arguing about which way to go, while everyone else plods along at a snail’s pace. You’re going to have to push your way to the head of the line and stage a coup … or tear your hair out. Which will it be?

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Wait a minute … whose car is that in your garage? Okay, the one you had was breaking down every other day and you were thinking about replacing it … but it was a comfy jalopy and, besides, you hadn’t finished your research. Now someone has gone and made up your mind for you. That’s not fair!

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

Can’t someone just change that muzak? If orchestral string covers weren’t bad enough, you work in a room all alone, your iPhone is dead and you can’t even get your browser to load. Communication breakdown … your private version of hell … has finally come true.

Leo (July 23 – Aug 22)

Amidst booing and hissing, olives and cocktail umbrellas flying through the air … you’re cowering on a karaoke stage after what you thought was a knockout rendition of Wild Thing. Returning to your table, you find your date has bailed and left a napkin note telling you what a complete loser you are.

Virgo (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

You’re behind a counter, facing a long line of angry customers waiting to tell you in detail about everything that’s wrong with the product you designed. That’s right, the one you slaved over for years and were sure would be a best seller. They don’t want exchanges or refunds … they want your head!

Libra (Sept 23 – Oct 22)

Your partner’s quirks have been gnawing on your last nerve for what seems like eons. You’re about to explode when … sure enough, like clockwork … he/she pulls one more stunt. Arms flailing, screaming at the top of your lungs, you lunge for his/her throat. So much for your famous emotional control, Libra.

Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 21)

You trust your new sweetie implicitly, but that doesn’t keep you from indulging in a little snooping while he/she is in the shower. Rummaging through bedside drawers, you discover a set of sexy underwear you’ve never seen before. Two can play at this game, you vow, as you plot your revenge.

Sagittarius (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

The jury has come back with its verdict and you’re guilty. You’ll be spending the next decade of your life in one place. But don’t worry … it’s a minimum-security prison with a lovely view of the freeway. You can still dream about all the places you’ll travel when you get parole.

Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Who’s that waving his finger in your face? Why, it’s that guy you used to supervise before your job was outsourced. Now you’re wearing stonewashed jeans and sitting at a tiny workstation in a row of cubicles that never ends. What happened to your Gucci suits and private corner office?

Aquarius (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

A security guard meets you at the entrance to your new workplace and whisks you away to a room where you undergo a complete makeover. When you’re finally escorted into your new office, you discover everyone looks exactly like you. Next on your newbie schedule … brainwashing!

Pisces (Feb 19 – March 20)

You hear a loud knocking on your door and open it to find three IRS men ready to rip into your tax return. They want you to account for every latte expense you listed and are suspicious of your self-employed income, too. Tearfully, you open the shoebox where you shoved your receipts to face the sorting and organizing you dread.

Nightmares of the Zodiac

What’s your Sun sign’s deepest fear?

It’s that time of year again, when Americans like to scare themselves with ghosts, goblins and the rest of Halloween’s spooky tomfoolery. You might call it our annual fear fest, but are these truly our worst fears? Of course not. To find qualms that really make our skin crawl, we need to dig a little deeper.

Take a look at these zodiac sign nightmares and see if they don’t send a shiver up your spine.

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

You are at the end of a long line hiking up a tall mountain. The group’s leaders are Virgos, arguing about which way to go, while everyone else plods along at a snail’s pace. You’re going to have to push your way to the head of the line and stage a coup … or tear your hair out. Which will it be?

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Wait a minute … whose car is that in your garage? Okay, the one you had was breaking down every other day and you were thinking about replacing it … but it was a comfy jalopy and, besides, you hadn’t finished your research. Now someone has gone and made up your mind for you. That’s not fair!

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

Can’t someone just change that muzak? If orchestral string covers weren’t bad enough, you work in a room all alone, your iPhone is dead and you can’t even get your browser to load. Communication breakdown … your private version of hell … has finally come true.

Leo (July 23 – Aug 22)

Amidst booing and hissing, olives and cocktail umbrellas flying through the air … you’re cowering on a karaoke stage after what you thought was a knockout rendition of Wild Thing. Returning to your table, you find your date has bailed and left a napkin note telling you what a complete loser you are.

Virgo (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

You’re behind a counter, facing a long line of angry customers waiting to tell you in detail about everything that’s wrong with the product you designed. That’s right, the one you slaved over for years and were sure would be a best seller. They don’t want exchanges or refunds … they want your head!

Libra (Sept 23 – Oct 22)

Your partner’s quirks have been gnawing on your last nerve for what seems like eons. You’re about to explode when … sure enough, like clockwork … he/she pulls one more stunt. Arms flailing, screaming at the top of your lungs, you lunge for his/her throat. So much for your famous emotional control, Libra.

Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 21)

You trust your new sweetie implicitly, but that doesn’t keep you from indulging in a little snooping while he/she is in the shower. Rummaging through bedside drawers, you discover a set of sexy underwear you’ve never seen before. Two can play at this game, you vow, as you plot your revenge.

Sagittarius (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

The jury has come back with its verdict and you’re guilty. You’ll be spending the next decade of your life in one place. But don’t worry … it’s a minimum-security prison with a lovely view of the freeway. You can still dream about all the places you’ll travel when you get parole.

Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Who’s that waving his finger in your face? Why, it’s that guy you used to supervise before your job was outsourced. Now you’re wearing stonewashed jeans and sitting at a tiny workstation in a row of cubicles that never ends. What happened to your Gucci suits and private corner office?

Aquarius (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

A security guard meets you at the entrance to your new workplace and whisks you away to a room where you undergo a complete makeover. When you’re finally escorted into your new office, you discover everyone looks exactly like you. Next on your newbie schedule … brainwashing!

Pisces (Feb 19 – March 20)

You hear a loud knocking on your door and open it to find three IRS men ready to rip into your tax return. They want you to account for every latte expense you listed and are suspicious of your self-employed income, too. Tearfully, you open the shoebox where you shoved your receipts to face the sorting and organizing you dread.

Free Guided Meditation Tool

Have you been wanting to get into meditation but didn’t know where to start? There’s an app for that!

Former monk-turned-meditation-guru Andy Puddicombe wants everyone to learn the power of meditation, and his Headspace project is all about helping people learn how to meditate. His Headspace app for iPhone or Android is a powerful tool for anyone looking to learn the basics of meditation and start a regular practice.

If you’re not familiar with Puddicombe, check out his inspiring TED Talk above about the power of taking 10 minutes to meditate each day. Or, as he calls it “doing nothing.”

I just started using the app recently, and I’m already loving it! The basic program is a series of ten ten-minute meditation practices, which you go through in order. Each day builds on the previous day’s practice. After that, there are a couple hundred other meditations that you can try in any order that you like, though the additional programs are not free.

Before you do your first meditation, he also walks you through a short series of videos to help you get in the right headspace for your practice. He emphasizes that meditation is a skill, and that you shouldn’t force it. One of the things I’m digging most about this program is that he frequently reminds you that it’s OK if your mind wanders and it’s OK to have conscious thoughts while you’re meditating. The key is noticing when that happens and observing those things without letting them effect you.

I also love the tone of the program. There is no new-agey music, creepy whispering narrator, or strange sound- or voice-effects. He just calmly walks you through each day’s exercise. If you prefer more of a new-age spin on meditation, this app might not be for you.

Take Ten, Day One Video

This is the introductory video from the Headspace Take Ten series. The rest of the series is available via the Headspace app for iPhone or Android.

By always using our cell phones, texting and surfing the Internet, we actually become less connected and more distracted.

We are often lured by the promise of new technologies to make our lives easier and help connect us to others. While they do so in many ways, they also present each of us with opportunities to make new choices about how we spend our time and invest our energy. Most gadgets are generally meant to improve the quality of our lives, but it is when we spend too much time with them that they actually do the opposite. By always using our portable emailers, cell phones, video games, and surfing the Internet, we actually become less connected and more distracted. By becoming aware of these tendencies, we harness the power to overcome them and make better choices for ourselves and our families.

Once we decide to consciously put our gadgets to work for us, we become masters of our time. We can give our full attention to whatever we are doing and not let phone conversations and other distractions take the place of human contact. Each of us has the ability to consciously choose to be more present in our lives. We can decide at any time to leave our gadgets behind and become aware of the sights and sounds around us in order to expand our awareness and be fully present in our bodies and our surroundings.

When we use our discernment about how we invest our personal energy, we can be sure that we choose only the best for ourselves and those we love. Our gadgets can be useful tools for our journey in the material world, but we must not forget that we are spiritual beings having a human experience and that means interacting with people on a personal level. Choices that enliven us and help us feel connected to our world and our loved ones always deserve our full attention and presence of mind, body, and spirit.

As you know, we generally close either Saturday or Sunday to update the site. Today, believe it or not, is our closed day. I have talked more than I have worked, my bad! I just wanted to let you know I am going to be fixing the blog page and then I am going over to our Pinterest site.

I don’t know if any of you have saw the link to our site over there. But it is at top right hand corner. If you haven’t been over to check it out, you need too. There are some beautiful documents over there in our BOS and other gorgeous graphics. I haven’t did any posting over there in about a month and I really need to do some work over there. Believe it or not, it does quite a bit of advertising for us. We have individuals that view the Pinterest site then they come over here and join this site. So I definitely have to keep it up and running.

So there are my day’s plans. I hope your day is more interesting than mine, lol! Anyway, have a super Saturday and we will see you tomorrow.

The Astrology of Raising Children in the Digital Age

Great parenting is all about moms and dads working hard and working together. Use our Free Parenting Compatibility Meter to become rock star parents now!

Like many of you parents out there, I happen to be in the uniquely challenging position of raising children who were born in the digital age.

Between 1998 and 2003 both Uranus and Neptune toured through the sign Aquarius together. Anyone born between these years has a certain cosmic DNA that strengthens their ability to use technology, especially the Internet, in an almost intuitive way. This generation will have unique experiences and lessons to learn about expressing their individuality.

All glory to the screen

These are the children who are currently at the pre-teen to teenage stage. If you’re anywhere near a school yard these days, I’m sure you’ve witnessed the common scene of an 11 year old clutching his or her iPhone like it’s their candy. You surely must see kids texting and walking in your neighborhood instead of watching where they’re going. These kids are drunk (Neptune) on technology (Aquarius).

Many of these kids prefer to stay inside and play XBOX or Wii rather than ride their bikes or play basketball with friends. These young ones prefer to communicate with their friends via texting (even if they’re in the same room) or video chat. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and ooVoo are a normal part of their daily culture. They speak fluent hashtag and text acronym.

Mother knows best

My children, born in 1999 and 2001, are now 13 and 11. I am in the not so enviable stage of raising a teen and a tween … in the digital age. My mother expresses her condolences to me every chance she gets. “It wasn’t like this when I raised you. It’s such a different world today.” My mom has her Sun in Aquarius and she says this to me? Ah, she’s all too familiar with the simultaneous gift and trap that technology offers us.

On the one hand, you may notice that children born during the ‘Uranus and Neptune in Aquarius’ generation have an almost psychic sense about technology and how it works. It’s amazing to watch actually. Who needs the Geek Squad when you’ve got a teenager in the house these days? Yes, these kids are gifted with a deep connection to advanced technology. However, there is also a curse connected to this that any parent will identify with.

The curse is a terrifying reminder of how this generation of children cannot be contained — for better or worse.

Overexposure

Take the 8th grader in my son’s school who posted a naked pic of herself on her Facebook page. No one knows why she did it, but I’m sure you can imagine the aftermath. From what I hear, she’s now suicidal. Last summer, a child at my kid’s camp was caught showing other children Internet porn on his cell phone! Then there’s the kid who got into a fist fight and thought it would be “cool” to have his “toughness” videotaped by a friend watching. The video was quickly passed around, and became evidence to help the victim. That kid doesn’t feel so tough now.

These are real life stories that are happening in the background of my children’s childhood! Don’t be blind … it’s happening in your children’s childhood as well. It’s happening to your child.

What about the never ending YouTube videos posted by tweens and teens across our nation crying for help? This fascinating form of Aquarian self-expression can arouse our compassion and make us aware of humanitarian issues such as bullying and abuse. Unfortunately, it also makes these kids vulnerable in a way they may not quite understand. Once you put something out there on the Internet it’s there … forever. And it might haunt you someday even if, when you’re posting it, you feel like it is completely harmless — or the right thing to do.

The Astrology behind it all

Kids with Uranus and Neptune in Aquarius think it’s “normal” to catalog their life on the Internet. Look, I’m all for transparency. I’ve been known to reveal extremely personal details about my life and experiences on the Internet in order to reach my audience and convey vital astrological messages. But I promise you this, every one of those posts are carefully thought out ahead of time. Each time I make a post, write a blog or post a diary entry to my website, I ask myself if it’s something I’d want my mother or children to read. If there’s an ounce of reservation it’s deleted instantly. I don’t think kids with Uranus and Neptune in Aquarius have that filter. Honestly, I don’t think they care about having that filter.

I find myself sounding more and more like a broken record to my kids, “Guard your electronic health the way you learn to guard your physical health!”

Pedophiles stalk and target tweens on the Internet. Kids text half naked pics to their crush only to have it quickly passed around the entire school or even worse — the Internet. Conversations are recorded without one’s permission and then used to start trouble. Kids are being blackmailed because of technology. Did you know that the vast majority of children are exposed to graphic sexual images on the Internet before they are cognitively ready to process and handle such images? Are you aware that cyber bullying is almost worse than our obesity epidemic?

My kids aren’t even in high school yet but in many ways I worry that the digital age has robbed them of an innocent childhood. Who am I kidding? It has.

My mother is right. Raising kids in the digital age is a different world entirely. These kids might be techies and computer geniuses, but they are growing up with a unique set of problems that come alone with an endless supply of technology. If you’re a parent of a child born with Uranus and Neptune in Aquarius, remember to pay attention to their digital life as much as you do their physical life.

Emergency Poppet on the Fly

Material: Aluminum foil

Perhaps something has come up in a hurry, and you feel it needs immediate magical attention. Use a piece of aluminum foil to whip together a quickie poppet — shape it into the figure of a person. Fill with any magical components that might be handy — bits of wood, dirt, grass, even a name scribbled on a piece of paper — and personalize the poppet.